American History Homework Thirteen Answers - Student Seven

1. My favorite time period in American History is probably the 20th century. I especially like this time period because most things that happened during this time affect my life today. I also like that about half of it happened during my parent’s lifetime. It’s interesting to learn about something that is history to me, but to my parents is their life. It all happened while they were growing up. They remember these wars and presidents. They even voted for some of them. I find it fascinating.

That is fascinating, and you explain it very well. Might use this as a model answer.

2. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were very different presidents, with very different agendas. Reagan was an increasingly conservative republican, whereas Clinton was a liberal democrat. Reagan cut taxes, but Clinton raised them. Reagan campaigned on more morality, but Clinton obviously didn’t have good morals.
In reading extra material online, I learned that America’s economy actually did better under Clinton than it did Reagan. I found this interesting, I guess because I’ve always thought of Reagan as a better president than Clinton, and I associate how well the economy is doing with how good the president is.

Good observation, but two points are worth keeping in mind: first, there is a delay in reaping the benefits of tax cuts, so Clinton may have been riding high due to continuing benefits from "Reaganomics" and second, the economy crashed in late 2000 and 2001, while it did not crash after Reagan. Anyway, you're to be commended on doing extra research about this!

3. I think the most important and influential trends guiding America is our increased power in the world, and our drifting away from our religious roots. Separate, these two trends are powerful, but together they’re very dangerous. With power comes pride, and greed. Mix that with losing religious morals, and it’s a very deadly combination.

Superb! Could use this as a model!

4. I think the biggest threat to America’s future is our increasing power. Every great empire in history has fallen, and fallen hard. At the rate we’re going, we’ll follow in the footsteps of Egypt, Rome, and many others, and it’s not a pretty outcome.

Right.

5. Culture and the success of a nation go hand in hand. Culture is how everyone thinks, what their beliefs are, and how they behave. How could this not affect the government, and consequently, the success of the nation?

For example, in the 20’s, the culture was booming, new music developed, women were coming into their own; it was great! America was also very successful as a nation at this time, because our economy was doing so well, and the thoughts of the time influenced the government.

However, in the 70’s, the culture was not a good one. Rebelling, drugs, and sex were what people believed in. During this time, the government wasn’t doing so well either. The Watergate Scandal happened then, and a hostage crisis lasted more than a year. The world didn’t respect us, and I think that a part of that was our culture, and how we were presenting ourselves to the world.

Superb comparison of the two decades, and how success or lack of success flowed from the culture!

6. Ronald Reagan had many great achievements as president. I think his two most important ones was his Strategic Defense Initiative, and ending communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.

The Strategic Defense Initiative was Reagan’s approach to missile defense. Previously, we used the “Mutual Assured Destruction” policy. If someone attacked us, we would attack back and we’d both be destroyed. Reagan’s SDI proposed that we shoot down incoming missiles, so no one gets destroyed.

Reagan is credited for ending communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. This is a huge accomplishment for one man. Even if it’s not to his credit, the fact that most people think he should be credited for it is impressive. In 1987, Reagan went to visit the Berlin Wall, and in his speech he gave he uttered the now famous phrase “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Within a few years, the Berlin Wall was torn down, and now Reagan is credited for it.

Terrific answer again, also model answer quality!

7. This map was probably drawn in the early 1500’s. America had been known about throughout Europe around this time, but no one had really explored it, so they didn’t know about what America really looked like compared to the rest of the world. There are many obvious flaws with this map. For one, America is half the size of india, and quite close to them too. The cartographer, like most other people of the day, thought the “New World” was wilderness, and wouldn’t be successful. But we grew and flourished pretty fast, proving them wrong.

Correct.

H2. Do you think Congress should pass treaties as ordinary laws when unable to obtain the 2/3rd vote required under the Constitution to ratify a treaty?
Although I kind of think it’s cheating, to just pass a treaty as a federal law if you can’t ratify it as a treaty, I think that if it’s okay in the constitution eye’s, then congress can do it.

OK, but it is cheating, as you say!

H3. I think that free trade is a good thing, because they don’t have tariffs. I think that the government has other ways to make money. Also, I don’t really like that tariffs favor domestic companies. Everyone should have equal opportunity to sell their products, without having to be unnecessarily expensive. The NAFTA and the WTO tried to make free trade a continental, and then world wide, reality. I like them. Obviously, because I like free trade, and no tariffs, which is what NAFTA and WTO do.

Good analysis, but worth discussing and evaluating further. If free trade mostly benefits our enemies (e.g., China) and hurts Americans (e.g., collapsing car industry), is it such a good thing? Some Americans have died due to contamination placed in products sent to us by China under "free trade," and China is aiming missiles at Los Angeles with its profits from free trade. Unlimited immigration is like free trade, and yet few would support unlimited immigration. But I appreciate your view and you argue it well; obviously many agree with you!

H4. I think that the Patriot Act is a good thing, and can help us prevent internal terrorism. As long as the government doesn’t use it to spy on anyone, or for the wrong reasons. If someone is suspected of terrorism, then we should monitor them to make sure they aren’t planning an attack of any kind.

OK, another well reasoned answer!

Terrific, very thorough and precise answers! One of the very best papers in the class. Perfect ending to superb homework all course! 100/100. Congratulations!!!--aschlafly 17:42, 20 December 2008 (EST)